SPEARHEAD FORMATIONS

Spearhead is an expansion for Warhammer 40,000. The Note that you don’t have to take any spearhead units
rules and scenarios for Spearhead appeared in June at all if you don’t want to. However, as spearhead units
2010’s White Dwarf. This web article describes the can eat up your points allocation quite quickly, if you
spearheads you can include in the spearhead battles are going to take any, it is a good idea to select these
that you fight. important formations first.

SELECTING A SPEARHEAD We have found playing our regular sized armies and
When you fight a Spearhead battle, each player is ‘topping them up’ with a spearhead or two is a good
allowed to include one spearhead of each type in his way to get started. We usually allow an extra 500 to a
army. Simply look through the spearheads on the 1000 points for spearhead units, and use these to top
following pages and pick which ones you will use. up a standard army to a total of 2000 points or so.
However, it is also great fun to play a larger game with
There are 12 different spearhead types, although each several spearheads on both sides.
of these can be composed in many different ways
leaving countless tactical possibilities. Picking the right SPECIAL RULES
spearheads to use, and deciding which models to build Each spearhead includes one or more special rules that
them with is important and worth careful thought. If are listed on the spearhead datasheets. In addition, the
you are an aggressive player, then you may want to following special rules also apply. Unless noted
consider formations like a Super-heavy Spearhead. If, otherwise, these rules apply only to the units that make
on the other hand, you prefer to out-manoeuvre an up the spearhead.
enemy, then the Mechanised Assault Spearhead may be
more your cup of tea, and so on. THE SPEARHEAD RULE
Spearheads are either specially trained units or elite
CHOOSING UNITS veterans that know how to act in unison and provide
Once you’ve selected the spearheads you will use, you each other with covering fire. To represent this, units in
can then pick the specific units that make them up. a spearhead benefit from the following special
Each spearhead lists what type of units you can pick – 'Spearhead rule' when they are within 4" of another
in general you will select the units from a Codex, but unit from the same spearhead at the start of the
some will allow you to pick from other sources. Shooting phase:

Unless stated otherwise, all of the units in a spearhead • Vehicles other than Walkers, that are moving at up to
must be chosen from the same entry in the army list, cruising speed, can fire one more weapon than would
though they may take different options and upgrades. normally be permitted. In addition, this weapon can be
Remember that even though normally an entry allows fired at a different target unit to any other weapons,
you to buy a single vehicle, in some army lists an entry subject to the normal rules for Shooting. Note that
will allow you to buy an entire squadron of vehicles! vehicles which are moving flat out may not take
advantage of this rule.
When selected as part of a spearhead, dedicated
transports count as Heavy Support units instead, and • Walkers and Monstrous Creatures may fire one
therefore are selected without a transported unit. weapon after they run. Note that they may not shoot
and then run, they must always run first.
The units in a spearhead do not come for free – you
must still pay the points for the units in the spearhead DEPLOYING SPEARHEADS
from the point’s allocation you have agreed with you Each spearhead counts as a single unit for the purposes
opponent. So, if you were playing a 2000-point of deployment and arriving from reserve, unless noted
Spearhead battle, then the points for the spearhead otherwise in its entry. This means that all units in the
units you use in your army would count towards the spearhead must either be deployed on the battlefield,
total points value of your army. or held in reserve, and that when rolling for the arrival
of reserves a single dice roll is made for the whole
In addition, most spearhead formations have an spearhead. In effect, all of the models in the spearhead
additional cost, that covers the special rules associated (apart from casualties) must either be on the table or
with the spearhead. off it.
 Description: An explanation of what is in the Points Cost: In addition to the points cost of the
spearhead and how it is used. models in the spearhead, there is often an extra
cost you must pay to use the formation.

Type: Remember, you can only have Picture: A illustration of what a spearhead
one spearhead per type in your army. of this type might look like in battle.

ARMOURED SPEARHEAD POINTS: 60 + UNITS

An Armoured Spearhead is made up of

armoured vehicles that have been fitted
with extra protection. These metal
behemoths are almost invulnerable to
small arms fire, and even heavy weapons
can have a difficult time affecting them.
Armoured Spearheads are trained to
work as a team, mutually supporting
each other in case any member is hit. As
they lumber towards the enemy their
powerful weapons will lay down a
withering hail of fire on any enemy
troops that they see. Armoured
Spearheads are often used to lead the
attack, soaking up firepower so the rest
of the assaulting force can advance
behind their defensive shield.

SPEARHEAD SPECIAL RULES

Armoured Behemoths: The armoured vehicles used to spearhead
an assault will be fitted with extra protection and reinforced internal
Up to three Tank units. armour. This provides all of the vehicles in the Armoured Spearhead
with a 5+ invulnerable save.

Spearhead Units: This states the number and type Special Rules: There may be special rules that
of units that make up the spearhead, and where apply to all of the units in the spearhead. These are
they are chosen from. All units must be chosen in addition to the ‘usual’ special rules that may
from the same Codex as the rest of the army, apply to any of its units.
unless stated specifically otherwise. Any options
normally allowed may be chosen at the usual
points cost.
“Fire at the lead tank of an enemy
column if you want to blockade their
JUST THE START movement. Fire at the rearmost vehicles to
The spearheads in this book are by no means
exhaustive, and we plan to publish more in White deny the enemy cover from the wreckage
Dwarf magazine and on our website. When using of the vehicles you destroy.”
datasheets not printed with this article (especially
against a new opponent) it is always best to discuss – Tactica Imperium
their use ahead of time.
ARMOURED SPEARHEAD POINTS: 60 + UNITS

An Armoured Spearhead is made up of

armoured vehicles that have been
fitted with extra protection. These
metal behemoths are almost
invulnerable to small-arms fire, and
even heavy weapons can have a
difficult time damaging them.
Armoured Spearheads are trained to
work as a team, mutually supporting
each other in case any member is hit.
As they lumber towards the enemy
their powerful weapons will lay down a
withering hail of fire on any enemy
troops that they see. Armoured
Spearheads are often used to lead the
attack, soaking up firepower so the rest
of the assaulting force can advance
behind their defensive shield.

SPEARHEAD SPECIAL RULES

Up to three Tank units. Armoured Behemoths: The armoured vehicles used to spearhead
an assault will be fitted with extra protection and reinforced internal
armour. This provides all of the vehicles in the Armoured Spearhead
with a 5+ invulnerable save.

AMBUSH SPEARHEAD POINTS: 75 + UNITS

An Ambush Spearhead is set up in a

hidden position where it cannot be seen
by the enemy. The vehicles that make up
the spearhead will be moved into
position under cover of night, or while
the enemy is occupied by a raid or
spoiling attack designed to distract their
attention. Once in position the vehicles
and their crews will remain hidden, not
making a sound or doing anything that
will attract the enemy's attention. Then,
when the appropriate time finally
arrives, the hidden units will reveal
themselves, pouring devastating volleys
of fire into the unsuspecting foe.

SPEARHEAD SPECIAL RULES

Up to three Tank or Walker units. Units with a Ambush: The vehicles that make up this spearhead have been
transport capacity may not be selected. deployed in carefully hidden positions and expertly camouflaged.
Each vehicle has the Stealth* and Infiltrate universal special rules,
but may not be placed in reserve.
* The vehicles are not actually stealthy, of course. Rather this rule
represents their ability to make the maximum use of cover.
MECHANISED ASSAULT SPEARHEAD POINTS: 60 + UNITS

A Mechanised Assault Spearhead is

made up of lightly equipped, fast-
moving troops. They will make
maximum use of their speed to close
quickly with the enemy, trusting to the
suddenness of their attack and their
manoeuvrability to avoid damage. Once
amongst the foe they will cause as much
damage and confusion as possible, tying
up the enemy with hit and run attacks,
and buying the rest of the assaulting
force valuable time. As the enemy
struggles to deal with their elusive
assailants, they will suddenly find
themselves beset by the rest of the
attacking army.

SPEARHEAD SPECIAL RULES

Up to three vehicle units with a transport capacity. Flank Attack: All of the units in the Mechanised Assault
For each vehicle taken, you must take one unit of Spearhead must be mounted in their transports and placed in
reserve. However, they will always arrive in their side’s first turn (no
any type, from one or more entries in the army roll is necessary), in the same manner as an outflanking unit. Roll
list, that can transported in the vehicle. only once to see which table edge the spearhead arrives on; all
units in the spearhead will arrive on this edge.

TANK HUNTER SPEARHEAD POINTS: 60 + UNITS

Tank Hunter Spearheads are made up of

tanks crewed by proven veterans who
know how to destroy the armoured
fighting vehicles of their enemy. They
can be relied upon to carry out their
mission with cold efficiency and deadly
skill. Before the battle begins the tank
crews will memorise the details of every
terrain feature and ambush site on the
battlefield, as well as every weakpoint
on the enemy vehicles they are likely to
meet. Honed to perfection, ready to
meet any threat, and ideally suited to
the task in hand, Tank Hunter
Spearheads often display their prowess
through kill-rings, enemy-slain tallies, or
even the crude displays of past victims.

SPEARHEAD SPECIAL RULES

Up to three Tank or Walker units. Tank-Hunter Crews: The tank crews that make up this spearhead
are hardened veterans. Each vehicle counts as having the following
universal special rules: Tank Hunters.
ARCHEOTECH SPEARHEAD POINTS: 30 + UNITS

The troops gathered together for an

assault will sometimes include new or
extremely rare types of armoured
vehicles. These vehicles will have been
fitted with ancient technology from
forbidden worlds, and will carry
improved guns or perhaps stores of rare
but powerful ammunition. Vehicles
associated with the Chaos powers might
not have technical upgrades, but instead
sorcerous ones. Regardless of the source
of this extra firepower, the Archeotech
Spearhead can lay down hellish swathes
of lethal gunfire.

SPEARHEAD SPECIAL RULES

Up to three Tank or Walker units. Experimental Upgrades: All the weapons fitted to the vehicles
in the spearhead receive a +1 Strength modifier (up to a
maximum of 10). A single D6 must be rolled after the vehicle fires
its weapons in the Shooting phase. On a roll of 1 the vehicle
suffers a penetrating hit, on a 2 the vehicle suffers a glancing hit,
and on a 3-6 nothing happens. Do not make this roll if the vehicle
does not shoot.

OUTRIDER SPEARHEAD POINTS: 60 + UNITS

An Outrider Spearhead is formed when

the survival of a tank necessitates that
escort vehicles guard its flanks. These
‘outriders’ are usually less heavily
armoured but more manoeuvrable than
their Spearhead Leader. Outriders are
tasked with the protection of their
charge no matter the cost, and there
inevitably comes a time when there isn’t
time for escort vehicles to bring their
firepower to bear. In these occasions the
only course left to the outriders is to
interpose themselves between an
enemy’s guns and their target, trusting
that their sacrifice is not in vain.

SPEARHEAD SPECIAL RULES

Two or three Tank, Skimmer or Walker units. One Protection Duty: Each time the Spearhead Leader suffers a
penetrating or glancing hit caused by an enemy shooting attack,
unit (the Spearhead Leader) must be chosen from a and after any cover saves have been taken, you can choose to
different army list entry to the others. intercept the attack with any of the spearhead’s other vehicles that
are within 4". If you choose to do so, the damage is resolved
against the nominated vehicle instead of the original target
regardless of any different armour values, facings, cover etc.
SKYFALL SPEARHEAD POINTS: 45 + UNITS

True master pilots of skimmer craft know

how to push, twist, and get maximum
thrust and lift out of their anti-gravitic
engines. Through expert timing and deft
manoeuvre, such a pilot can ‘bounce’ his
craft high in the air on a powerful
airburst – often straight into cloud cover,
allowing him to then come screaming
downwards and arrive at his objective
straight from the heavens! When such a
devastating force lands unexpected
amidst the foe’s positions, it can
devastate vulnerable side or rear armour,
disrupt enemy battle plans, drop off
close-ranged assault troops and
generally wreak havoc.

SPEARHEAD SPECIAL RULES

Up to three Skimmer units. Rapid Descent: All units in a Skyfall Spearhead must be held in
reserve. All gain Deep Strike if they do not already have it. On the
turn they arrive only roll for scatter for the first vehicle to be
deployed; any other vehicles in the spearhead are placed within
4" of a vehicle that has already been deployed and will not
scatter. In addition, shooting attacks made by the vehicles on the
turn they Deep Strike have the pinning characteristic and are
always resolved against a vehicle’s side armour.

MONSTROUS SPEARHEAD POINTS: 60 + UNITS

Some armies include terrifying monsters

that are twice or more the height of a
normal warrior, and which can cleave
through the armour of the most heavily
protected tank with ease. They are
usually only encountered in small
numbers, but when an army makes an
all-out assault these monstrous creatures
can gather in great swarms. Surging
ahead, they will lead the lesser creatures
in the army towards the enemy,
shrugging off damage that would
destroy a battle tank, slaughtering or
smashing aside anyone or anything that
gets in their way.

SPEARHEAD SPECIAL RULES

Up to six units with the monstrous creature unit On the Rampage: The monstrous creatures that make up the
spearhead have the following universal special rules (assuming they
type. HQ units may not be selected. don’t have them already, of course): Counter-attack, Fleet (cannot
be combined with flying creatures), Furious Charge, Rage.
MASS ATTACK SPEARHEAD POINTS: 90 + UNITS

Some armies have little choice but to pit

a horde of lightly armed troops against
the armoured onslaught of their foes.
Although there is little chance for
survival in such a contest, if gathered in
enough numbers they can get close
enough to overwhelm the enemy. When
the time for the assault arrives, the
massed formations rise up and advance.
Enemy fire will tear them apart, leaving
gaping holes. They may falter, but the
enemy will have to kill every last one of
them before they give up. If the infantry
finally get to charge they will release
their pent-up fury at the foe!

SPEARHEAD SPECIAL RULES

Up to six non-vehicle units chosen from the Troops Thermite Bombs: All of the models in the units that make up the
spearhead are armed with special assault weapons for use against
section of the army list. vehicles. These counts as krak grenades with a Strength of 7. In
addition the units have the ‘Preferred Enemy: Monstrous Creatures’
special rule.
T h e F i n a l P u s h: Hate-filled propoganda, stimulants, alien fervour,
or sheer hatred means that all units in the spearhead can test to
regroup regardless of any normal restrictions.

CRUSHER SPEARHEAD POINTS: 15 + UNITS

The vehicles that make up a Crusher
Spearhead are heavily modified so that
they can literally crush the enemy.
Strong internal supports are added to
the vehicle in order to make it more
robust, and additional armour plating
and crash bars are added to the front to
absorb the impact as it smashes into
enemy vehicles and troops. Finally the
engine is upgraded and fuel injection
systems added so the much heavier
vehicle can be driven pell-mell towards
the foe. At the start of the battle the
vehicles in the Crusher Spearhead start
their engines and surge towards the
enemy lines with only one aim in mind:
to smash the foe to pieces and grind
them to dust under their tracks.

SPEARHEAD SPECIAL RULES

Up to three Tank units. Skimmers may not be Ramming Speed!: The Tanks that make up this spearhead count
as having a frontal armour value of 15 when they ram another
selected. vehicle. Enemy units that are tank shocked by vehicles from this
spearhead suffer a -1 Leadership modifier.
 SEEK & DESTROY SPEARHEAD POINTS: 50 + UNITS

Sometimes it is reasoned that if you can

strike hard and fast enough and land a
single determined blow, the enemy, no
matter how powerful, will be sent
reeling into defeat. That is the battle
theory exploited at rapid breakneck
speed by the Seek & Destroy Spearhead.
Such Spearheads are made up of very
fast-moving vehicles such as skimmers,
bikes or jetbikes. Enemy commanders
will struggle to maintain their
composure as waves of fast moving
attackers rocket across the battlefield,
all the while laying down a withering
hail of fire.

SPEARHEAD SPECIAL RULES

Up to three units of Fast Skimmers or Bikes. Lightning Strike: Once per game, all models in the Seek & Destroy
Spearhead can move flat out or use Turbo-boosters and can shoot
as if they had moved at combat speed or not Turbo-boosted.

SUPER-HEAVY SPEARHEAD POINTS: COST OF UNIT

Super-heavy vehicles such as the Imperial

Baneblade or Ork Stompa are amongst
the most deadly combatants on the
battlefields of the 41st Millennium. Just
one of them can dominate a battlefield.
Although incredibly rare, their presence
can single-handedly spell the difference
between victory or defeat. Because of
their might and nigh-on invulnerability,
super-heavies are often used to
spearhead an assault. Protected by
incredibly thick armour, they shrug off
even heavy weaponry, and they are
armed with batteries of guns that can
level a city block and destroy entire
swathes of enemy troops.

SPEARHEAD SPECIAL RULES

One super-heavy vehicle chosen from any Super-Heavy Vehicle: See the rules for super-heavy vehicles in the
Apocalypse rulebook.
Apocalypse datasheet.
L a rg e Ta rg e t: Unless the super-heavy vehicle is placed in reserve, it
will suffer one penetrating hit before the battle starts. This
Note that you need the Apocalypse Expansion represents enemy weapon strikes on the vehicle before the main
book in order to use this spearhead. battle begins. The damage is resolved at the start of the first
game turn.